Finding Talent
by preposterousnotion
Summary: AU Puckleberry smut. Rachel's on the judging panel of a talent competition. Attraction to a gorgeous stranger leads her to discover his talents beyond just his singing. IS NOW COMPLETE.
1. Chapter 1

Finding Talent

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from Glee or 'Sweet Caroline' by Neil Diamond.

AN: This is AU Puckleberry at its smuttiest.

Bree.

* * *

The heat of the lights.

The suffocating mutterings of the audience.  
The fact that I had been sitting in this same leather seat, staring at the same stage all afternoon.  
The mutterings rose in volume as a lull occurred between acts.  
"I need a break", I hissed.  
"Take one", Mercedes returned.  
I had become fairly good friends with the singer since joining the judging panel of _'Looking for Talent'_.

I smiled gratefully.  
"Thanks diva, I say no to anyone who comes on stage in a cat suit, and yes to anyone who can sing in tune".  
"Got it. Go have a coffee".  
I slipped quickly out from behind the desk and escaped backstage before anybody could stop me.

As soon as I escaped into the quiet corridor, I just leaned back against the wall and took a few deep breaths.

This talent judging was intense.

I thought it would be a more relaxing change of scene after starring in no less than 4 Broadway musicals.  
I had achieved my childhood dream.  
I had always thought I would feel accomplished.  
Maybe a change of scene would help me work out the reason why I felt that my life had reached a bit of an anticlimax.

It had only been 2 weeks and I was already wondering whether it would have been a better idea to take one if my other change of scene options (perhaps starring in a soap or recording a single?)  
But I already had singing and acting in my life.

That wasn't what was missing.

A door opened at the end of the corridor and a group of backstage crew and the next hour or so worth of acts spilled out into my silent oasis.  
I looked down at my feet, waiting patiently for them to walk through and leave me to my thoughts again.  
I sensed my personal space being invaded and I closed my eyelids for a prolonged blink, willing the sanction of loneliness to return.  
But it didn't, and I found myself looking up into the most beautiful hazel eyes, almost catlike, with such a warm depth it was as though I was looking straight into his soul.

"Are you alright?"  
"Huh?"  
He smirked.  
"Are you alright?"  
He knew the effect he was having on me. I couldn't stop my eyes from tracing his well toned muscles through his t shirt and his arms were lovely (lack of blood in my head made it difficult to obtain a wider range of adjectives).

He smirked again as I desperately tried to remember what he had just asked me.

I opted for a nonchalant shrug.

He had picked up my left hand which was hanging uselessly at my side.

"What's a fine piece of ass like you doing still on the market?" He asked.

"Not having a ring doesn't mean I'm single", I countered; silently thanking my acting abilities to kick in where life experience fails me.

He grinned wider.

Dropping my hand, he held up both his hands and wiggled his fingers.

"Wearing a ring doesn't mean I'm not single".

"But it's not on your ring finger", I pointed out.

"Are you this fiery in bed?"

"What?"

"Are we really going to go through that again? I said, are you this fiery in bed?"

"You don't ask things like that to a complete stranger!"

He laughed.

"Maybe _you_ don't. _I_ do. Especially fucking hot ones like you".

"I think you have somewhere to go".

"Are you entering too? I don't see a sticker on you… Can you even sing?"

"Can I even sing? Do you have any idea who I am?"

"Yes. Some hot chick that is going to end up in my hotel bed tonight".

He raised his eyebrow and I seethed angrily.

"That would be an impossibility".

"Nothing's impossible, darlin'"

I huffed.

He reached out his finger to my face, and I froze rigid as he ran his rough finger from the tip of my nose down to my chin.

"Later hot stuff".

And he was gone, his guitar swinging on his back and whistling a tune I did not recognise but echoed in my head long after the sound had dissipated.

* * *

I would be lying if I said I had completely forgotten about the delicious stranger as I returned to my seat, my headache strangely gone, and concentrating on the acts with double the enthusiasm lest a certain guitar playing skin-headed Texan arrive on stage.

And when he did I don't think I breathed once throughout the whole 2 minutes of his mind-melting rendition of 'Sweet Caroline'.

And with a smirk that was directed solely at me, he departed stage left and I felt an invisible force carry my feet once more to the safe haven of that quiet corridor.

Fortunately it was a planned break for the judging panel and so I was able to sneak round to the exact same place on the wall I had leaned maybe 2 hours before.

Somehow, I just knew that was where he would be.

"Hey".

I didn't want small talk or any charming winning lines.

"No strings sex- right?"

He looked taken aback, and looked me up and down with open admiration in his eyes.

"Though you'd take a lot more, _persuading_, but- fuck yes let's go get us a taxi".

"Persuading?"

He smirked and I suddenly realised I had though less about this than I had ever thought about anything ever before, (even getting up in the morning required more thought).

He was right in front of me again, and his sinewy curves were so very tangible that I had the urge to reach out and run my hands over his chest and arms.

He tilted my head up with rough fingers to his to look right into my eyes.

My heartbeat was surely vibrating his forearm that was pressed against my chest.

He lowered his lips to mine, brushing them lightly across eliciting a very uncharacteristically lustful groan from my throat, at which he captured my bottom lip in between his teeth and dragged it out gently.

My breathing ragged, he looked back into my eyes, gauging my reaction. I assume my reaction was satisfactory, as he straightened up and tightened the strap on his guitar across his back.

"No-strings-the-best-you-have-ever-had sex", he checked the details, and moistened his lips with his tongue.

I followed the movement of his tongue, not worried about being so forward with a complete stranger.

We would never see each other after tonight. Right?

I nodded breathlessly, caught up in that smouldering gaze.

"Fuck I've never met anyone like you", he grinned suddenly.

"I'll take that as a compliment", I returned.

"It is", he said in a low voice, "'Cos I've met…"

"I don't care", I interrupted.

And I didn't.

He nodded and jerked his head to the door.

"Keep close- it's madness out there".

I gulped.

"How close?"

He grabbed my hands and positioned them around his waist.

And there was no going back now.

* * *

The hotel room was basic and poorly lit but I didn't have much chance to take in the scenery as his lips found mine and kissed me with unyielding force, and his muscled form was pushing me back against the wall as he kicked the door shut behind us.

This was what was missing.

The excitement, the burning flame of passion, the raw hungry need.

I took control of the kiss, detaching my lips from his and favouring his jaw line and throat with wet, wanton kisses and suddenly I was in control and he was the one moaning and slamming his hands against the wall to keep himself upright.

It was almost a battle, and lips fought to explore more sensory spots and our tongues battled for dominance.

"Fuck", he hissed, almost in surprise as I pushed his open shirt hastily over his shoulders and my fingertips appreciated the twitching muscles beneath.

He only allowed me to exercise some control for a prolonged moment, until he was mashing our lips together again, with bruising force, and his hands were hot on my bare skin as he pushed my dress roughly over my head, breaking the kiss for only an instant to throw it across the room.

And I had barely managed to remove his shirt and undo his jeans before he lifted me up and carried me stumblingly over to the bed, and the few seconds in which he stepped back to strip to his boxers enabled me to attempt to catch my breath.

I eyed him admiringly, with the sudden urge to just lick him all over.

It was at that moment I realised I didn't know his name.

But again, time for thinking was negligible as his body was pressed against mine, and as we kissed and hands explored, his hips rocked against mine.

"Fuck", he moaned, his hand straying between my legs and fingers pushing up inside my underwear.

I was glad he had thought of protection, as he dropped a condom onto the bed beside my head, because that was not on the top of my mind, as he pushed a rough finger inside me.

"So tight", he breathed, and I took both hands from around his shoulders to bring his head up to mine and kiss his swollen lips fully.

I saw stars; I saw shooting stars as he added a second finger inside me to the action of the first, and without knowing his name to scream I bit down hard on his shoulder.

At some point, when I recovered, he removed my bra and was also suddenly boxer-less, and his talented mouth was moving a scorching path over my breasts, and I arched off the bed as he bit lightly on each nipple.

I lost all will to be in control. He could do what he liked to me if that was just the beginning.

He pressed the condom into my hand and I tried desperately to clear some of the delicious fog from my mind in order to coordinate my movement and push it over his throbbing cock.

Impatient, he helped me out, and then thrust suddenly into me with a moan that was nearly as loud as my own.

He flashed black eyes to mine before moving with excruciating unhurriedness.

"Faster", I grunted, gasping as he sucked on a sensitive spot on my neck.

He agreed, and we would have all night to make up for the fact that that first time was over so soon.

* * *

Having been awake at 4 am every morning for a while, I was awake before it had even got light. His heavy arm was draped across me, and I carefully slid from his embrace, tiptoeing around the room to find my clothes (I couldn't find my underwear anywhere, but maybe I didn't look that hard and wanted to leave him with a souvenir).

With one last longing smile at his seemingly innocent sleeping face, I left.

* * *

Please Review :)


	2. Chapter 2

Finding Talent

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from Glee.

AN: So I decided to turn this story into a multi-chapter, thanks for the reviews, you guys inspired this! In future, more of the glee characters will make appearances I feel, and, of course, Puckleberry will entertain and smut will ensue.

Bree

* * *

**Chapter 2**

Okay so I know I hadn't exactly been involved in any 'no-strings attached sex' events (well, alright then, if you're going to be pernickety, I had never been before), but I did know that you weren't then supposed to think about said no-strings participant every minute of every hour of every day and night since said no-strings event.

Mercedes clicked her fingers in my face.

"Hey! Mini diva! Wake up!"

One guess as to which Greek-godlike sex on a stick I had been thinking about.

"What's up with you?" She asked, picking at the sushi on her plate. "You zoned out as soon as I started talking about which of us judges is going to get to mentor the guys' group".

I shrugged, but unfortunately, staying in the singer's house with her for the last month had actually meant that she knew me pretty well.

And I knew her pretty well too, I knew then that she was going to ask about something personal, because first she had leant forward, and then her hands were flat on the edge of the tabletop, and finally she nodded slowly and wisely.

"It's that 'Sweet Caroline' guy, isn't it".

I spluttered on my low-fat milkshake, milk actually going up my nose.

She nodded again, a short victorious kind of nod.

"I knew it! He didn't look away from you once during that whole song! He was practically asking you to… _Oh my god_!"

"What? What?"

I looked around worriedly, as though he was sitting behind me in the sushi bar, his tongue just flicking out over his lips to catch the escaped grain of rice. Oh yeah…

"Rachel Barbra Berry!"

I blushed, interrupted from my daydream.

"Why did you middle name me?"

"You had sex with him- didn't you?"

"No!"

"Oh don't you try and deny it", Mercedes frowned, "You _so_ did".

I sighed.

"Now that's as good as a yes", Mercedes smirked triumphantly.

I just sighed again.

"That good huh? You going to do it again?"

Mercedes always said exactly what she thought.

I thought for a moment.

"Now, what does 'no strings attached' sex mean to you?"

She grinned for a second in amusement before answering.

"Well, one, I'm proud of you, miss 'I won't open my legs unless you promise to marry me and sign it in blood'"

"Mercedes", I hissed, "People can hear you!"

She ignored me and continued, unabashed, "And two, what have you ever read in the paper about me and relationships?"

I frowned, confused.

"I can't remember anything…"

"Exactly! And yet I happen to have known that Taio Cruz pretty well… and those JLS boys…"

My eyes widened.

"No strings", she concluded proudly.

"There are four guys in JLS", I commented, pointlessly.  
"I _know_", she smiled smugly.

I returned to the matter in hand quickly.

"What if… I don't really know how to ask this…"

"What if you want to have sex with him again?"

"Yeah…"

"Well, just make sure you are mentoring the guys then, and then just find yourself in his hotel room…and _seduce_ him".

"How do I make sure I mentor the guys?"

"You need to talk to Jacob Ben-Israel".

* * *

"Hello Miss Berry", Jacob greeted, as I stepped into his temporary office at the theatre we had taken over for the next stage of the competition.

I shuddered slightly at his sugary smile.

"Mr Ben-Israel", I said curtly, "I need to ask you a favour".

"Oh really? A _sexual_ favour?"

I took a hasty step backwards, nearly tripping over the trailing plant.

"I need to mentor the guys group", I said quickly.

He ran a hand through his unruly afro.

"And if I satisfy your needs- what do I get in return?"

I did not want his anywhere near my unsatisfied needs… Eww- just _ewww_.

Time to dig into the 'bag of things a Rachel Berry stalker would keep in a glass cabinet'.

I held up a pair of briefs (I had just bought them that morning, I was not trying to encourage his disgusting behaviour).

He made a sort of happy noise in the back of his throat.

"I think, Miss Berry, you have yourself a deal".

* * *

_He pulled the zipper down on my boot, all the time licking and sucking at the sensitive skin at the back of my leg. Then he pulled the boot slowly off my leg, his hands massaging my soft skin, kissing upwards along the inside of my thigh and smiling against my skin as I let out a quiet moan…_

Mercedes yanked back the curtain of the changing room.

"Hey!" I yelped, "I could have been naked!"

She raised her eyebrows.

"I have been waiting for ages out here- how long exactly does it take to see what those fabulous 'fuck-me' heeled boots look like with skinny jeans?"

Grumbling slightly, I stood up and twirled round.

"Yes. Definitely. Yes. That is what you will wear to attempt to get in his pants… Good. Now we have absolutely everything!"

"Where are all the other bags?"

"Craig has them".

Craig was Mercedes' bodyguard, and apparently had been ever since her first single was released. He didn't talk much, but then even I couldn't get a word in edgeways around Mercedes.

I still thought he had a bit of a thing for Mercedes.

* * *

And suddenly I was in a room with a vocal coach, a dance choreographer and a keyboard player, sitting around a grand piano, listening to the first contestant's take on the group challenge I had set.

It was a long afternoon, and still no sign of Mr Sexonastick (I still hadn't got around to finding out his real name, even though it was somewhere on the list in front of me).

I was hoping it was getting to the end of the group, because I had cramp in my leg from sitting still for so long.

And then the fire alarm went off, and my leg completely seized up as my muscles tensed at the piercing bells.

When my eyes unscrewed from the pain, and I attempted to stand up to make a similarly hasty exit to the others, and I suddenly realised I wasn't alone in the room.

He locked the door and my gulp was as loud as the click the catch made.

"We have about 21 minutes until the fire department break down the door to evaluate the building", he said, as though he was commenting on the weather.

I wasn't even disappointed that I didn't get a chance to seduce him.

I didn't care to worry how the hell he was in this room right now, alone with me.

He was great big strides ahead of me.

And he crossed the room with one of these big strides, and he was wearing a skin tight black t shirt and black jeans and his gorgeous eyes had a strange hypnotic quality and I wasn't even a tiny bit ashamed that I would do anything he wanted me to do.

He opened his mouth as though he was about to speak.

"We'll talk later", I rushed out, and he was kissing me before I could take another breath.

My memories were nothing like as good as the real thing.

I didn't feel, but heard the slamming of my body against the piano, and we were kissing so desperately I couldn't work out which tongue belonged to me.

His hands twisted in my hair, and our lips smashed together again and again, and his hips were grinding into me, crushing my body between his and the comparably malleable piano.

And then the sprinklers activated, and I moaned at just the image of water sliding down his sculpted body, my fingers pulling at the hem of his t shirt.

I gave a frustrated growl at the realisation that I couldn't remove this offending article as our bodies were pressed too close against each other.

So I pushed him.

This caught him completely off balance, and he toppled backwards, grabbing my arm as he fell, and landing heavily onto the plush carpeted floor, taking a few rasping breaths before his lips assailed mine again with a harshness that fuelled the flame of desire that ripped through my body.

And I swear he just looked at my clothes and they just- fell off or something, because before I even registered I was wearing nothing but the specially purchased matching lacy underwear, and he kept mumbling curses of appreciation against my burning skin.

The fact that I couldn't even concentrate long enough to pull his clothes off was becoming slightly embarrassing, but then he rolled over, so that he was on top and struggled to his feet, water dripping down his face.

Unable to do anything else, I lay on the floor, my chest heaving with the very effort of breathing, and watched captivated as he pulled off his t shirt, discarding it haphazardly on the floor, stepping out of his jeans and kicking them behind him, and apparently I wasn't the only one who had been prepared, as he wasn't actually wearing any boxers, and I whimpered because we both wanted this so badly.

His weight was on me again, and our kisses reached new levels of desperate need.

And the sight of mark on his shoulder from the last time had me fighting to stay whole, my fingertips digging into the hard muscle of his shoulders.

And, as I still didn't know his name, I may have referred to him as 'Fucking god' on a few occasions, and 'Yes fuck yes'.

And he seemed to agree. Loudly.

* * *

Please Review :)


	3. Chapter 3

Finding Talent

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from Glee.  
AN: So I am getting quite into this fic now! I really enjoy writing the Mercedes/Rachel friendship especially. Let me know what you think.

Bree

* * *

**Chapter 3**

"Rachel?"  
I opened one eye and then the other, and as sleep left my body, I came to realise that I ached all over.  
I seriously had never had so much sex in my whole life put together as I had had the night before.  
"Mercedes?" I hissed, "What the hell are you doing here?"  
Her eyes widened.  
"This is my house".  
Ah. So it was.

The duvet moved beside me.  
"Are you_ naked_?" She asked, in a scandalous whisper. "Is that _him_?"  
I moaned as 'him' awoke, his head stirring under my arm, and his tongue flicking out to touch the sensitive skin of my breast.  
Mercedes' mouth dropped open.  
"Were you kidnapped by _aliens_? Did they give you a _brain transplant_?"  
"Good mornin'", Noah's head poked up from under the bed covers.  
He kissed me soundly, oblivious to the fact that Mercedes was standing by the side of the bed, opening and closing her mouth like a goldfish.

"Noah", I whispered.  
Okay, so we had got as far as each other's names.  
That was in fact, all we got round to finding out about each other. I for one got a little bit distracted…  
"Oh. Hey… Is this gunna be some kinda morning action threesome? Cos if so, we're gunna need to go get some more condoms…"  
Mercedes made some kind of spluttering noise like a drowning cat.  
"We'll come through and have some breakfast presently", I managed, as Noah resumed his lavish kissing of my neck.

* * *

About forty minutes later (what can I say- he is a god), I floated out into the kitchen, wearing Noah's shirt and boxers (I'm not quite sure what he was going to wear when he got out of the shower…)  
"Rachel, seriously mini dive, you are freaking me out!"  
Mercedes passed the orange juice to Craig, and pushed the stool opposite out from the table in invitation.  
"Mercedes, since you met me, you have tried to pair me up with every single guy in your band, crew and management team, and threatened on multiple occasions to pay someone to sleep with me!"  
Mercedes shrugged.  
"This Noah guy- he is your contestant and he is the most unattainable guy on the planet right now, and besides, he is some crazed sex addict who thought I came into the bedroom for a threesome!"  
Craig choked on his orange juice, and Mercedes patted him on the back casually.

I didn't really know what to say to that. I hadn't really allowed myself to think too deeply about this … whatever it was, because I knew deep down that if I did think too much, I would immediately turn back into my former 'forward planning freak' self, and I wasn't sure I wanted the hot sex to stop quite yet.

"But the sex is really hot", I said lamely, taking a plate and piling it with pancakes.  
Mercedes watched me in shock.  
"What happened to your avoiding all nutrients diet?"  
"Avoiding all carbohydrates", I corrected, absentmindedly, "I worked off about 3 billion calories last night… and this morning, so I think I need the energy".  
"Good lord", Mercedes mumbled, and turned to put her plate in the sink, muttering things about aliens and brain transplants under her breath.

"Shit", I said, suddenly remembering, and Mercedes looked like she had just seen a ghost, having not heard me swear in all the time we had been friends. "We have to submit our list of final 8 contestants by midday, don't we?"  
Mercedes nodded dumbly.  
"Well, Noah is in", I added, matter of factly, "But I'm not sure if I actually remember any of the other contestants… I'll run over the songs they did and if that fails I'll just pick at random".  
Mercedes raised her eyebrows, but said nothing, turning her attention to filling a glass of water as Noah walked out from the guest bedroom, wearing just his jeans.

It felt good to have his eyes rake over my body like they did, and him smirk in appreciation.  
And maybe this was childish, but who didn't have some dirty sex toy in the back of the cupboard?  
Mine just happened to be a full grown drop-dead-gorgeous-and-makes-me- forget-my-own-name _man_.

* * *

Mercedes left to go shopping with strict instructions for me to not to break anything.  
"Noah… I have 12 minutes in which to decide on 7 other contestants, and to ring through to management to let them know of my decision!"  
He shrugged, resuming suckling at the sensitive skin on my shoulder and neck, on all fours behind me, as I sat cross legged on the floor, the information sheets for the guys' group spread out in front of me.

"Right". He said, after a minute, "1…2…3…4…5…6, and 7. Done. Now let's have sex".

Less than 40 seconds later (the shortest phone call I had ever made in my life), I was flat on my back on Mercedes' expensive wooden floor, not even worried about the excessive wear Mercedes' expensive wooden floor was about to recieve, as Noah's hot, amazing mouth was sucking at my pulse point, and whenever he so much as smirked at me, I was prone to lose every kind of logical thinking of any kind.

But I still only knew his name.  
"Noah... Wait".  
He kissed my lips gently.  
"Sup berrylicious?"  
"I know we know each other physically, very well, but we know nothing about each other!"  
"Sure we do", he retorted, frowning. "you're Rachel Berry, I'm Noah Puckerman, we like having sex with each other..."  
I couldn't argue with that. So instead I kissed him hotly and he moaned in appreciation.

"See", he murmured, his long deft fingers worked at the buttons of the shirt I was wearing.  
I arched her back off the floor, which suddenly felt very cold against my hot skin.  
"Make me see", I ordered, because one of the things I did know about him was that he loved it when I showed a bossy streak.  
"Make me see _stars_".

He smirked, his tongue exploring the valley between my breasts.  
"Only if you scream my name", he bargained, pushing his hips out so that I could undo his jeans.  
"I always scream", I said breathily, sucking on his top lip.  
"And I fucking love it", he growled, rolling onto his back.

I threw the shirt over her shoulder. One day, maybe, I would realise that deep down I wasn't the type of person to have some kind of gorgeous sex toy, and that really I wanted to settle down into a serious relationship with someone who would not only set me on fire with desire, but also be the trustworthy life partner who could also be my best friend.

But not today. Not today when his warm hands were caressing the curve of my hips and when our colliding lips caused all the warmth in my whole body to rush southwards, and instincts deep inside me that I didn't know existed until I had met Noah, were exposed in their rawest form.

* * *

"So Kurt", Mercedes said, unlocking the door, "I know it's not your birthday for a while, but I was out shopping the other day, and well, I had to get you a present..."  
"Wow! I'm intruiged!" Kurt smiled.  
She pushed the door open and gestured inside.

Kurt entered while she and Craig gathered up the many bags they had collected on their shopping trip.  
She froze when she heard a high pitched scream that belonged to Kurt.

Craig tensed and followed Mercedes into the house.  
Kurt was standing in the kitchen and there was nothing they could do to to prevent their eyes from being drawn to the large naked form of Noah, tied to the kitchen table.  
He grinned sheepishly.

Hearing Kurt's scream, I grabbed two of the sheets off the bed, and ran into the kitchen wrapping one around myself and throwing one to Noah.  
Thankfully he didn't look too embarressed from being caught like that.

I was beginning to think he just didn't get embaressed.

"Is that my present?" Kurt asked shakily.  
Mercedes laughed nervously.  
I scurried over to Noah, and he kissed my fingertips at my anxious expression as I leant over him to untie his bounds.  
"This... This belongs to Rachel", Mercedes attempted to explain.

Kurt's eyes widened.  
I had only met the fashion editor on a few occassions, but he and Mercedes were good friends from way back, and I'm sure he would know how out of character I was acting.

"Okay, new house rule", Mercedes announced, sharing a look with Kurt.  
"Nudity only permitted in the bedroom... And please put a scarf on the door or something...?"

* * *

Please Review :)


	4. Chapter 4

Finding Talent

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from Glee.

AN: Couple of fun surprises for you in the next chapter! I really appreciate the reviews, thank you very very much. I think the next chapter will be the last :( I have enjoyed working on this fic. Also, I love this chapter, so I am especially interested in your thoughts.

Bree

* * *

**Chapter 4**

It was a busy week, most of the days spent rehearsing for the live finals, with squished in sessions of working alongside the coaching team and preparing my finalists.  
I saw Mercedes for only brief coffee in the mornings before we both had to climb into separate chauffeur driven cars (I still couldn't work out why we had to travel separately... To the same place? But whatever).

My meetings with Noah were just as brief, as now the film crews had rolled in, and for extra ratings boosting, the management had decided to house all of the remaining contestants in the same huge house and make extra money by filming their petty arguments over the last chocolate muffin.  
Kurt Hummel found great smug joy in texting me every five minutes to update me on the list of contestants with which Noah had not made some kind of move on, which grew shorter by the second. I wasn't sure whether it was just Kurt's warped sense of humour, or true that he had in fact attempted to come on to several of the guys.

And it was Friday and I'd hardly spent any alone time with him. Apart from that time in the dance studio against the mirror; and in the instrument cupboard; and I still had bruises from having sex up against the recording desk in studio 5; and I couldn't forget that time behind the curtain while the dance choreographers Matt Rutherford and Mike Chang were actually looking for us- in the same room.  
I looked to the two guys now, who appeared to be as bored as I was, as we sat round the large round table in the meeting room, and we listened to the details of the pre-live show party that evening.

I couldn't help a smile twitch at my mouth as I looked round at the room. Mercedes and I were the only judges present, having the smallest entourage and not scorning the small payment for being there. We were each supposed to have a male dance coach and a female dance coach, to work with our group of contestants (Mercedes was in charge of the girls).

But somehow Craig had managed to switch it so that Mercedes had both of the female dancers (Brittany and Santana, both of whom I hadn't met properly yet) . He didn't talk much, but when he did, people did as he asked.  
It may be something to do with the fact that he can lift up a 2 tonne trick with one hand (or something like that...)  
"Mini diva? You wanna go choose a dress now; we only have a couple of hours before we need to leave..."  
"Yeah okay... Does the venue have some kind of website- with floor plans available for the public to view?"  
Mercedes looked at me like I was crazy. "You ask the weirdest questions", was all she said.

I walked with her down the long corridor to the dressing room.  
"You know when you were drunk?" she began, and I flinched at the memory.  
"Yeah?"  
It had been the first time I had met Mercedes, at the 'looking for talent' launch party. And some smart arse had informed me that the punch was non alcoholic. And I was thirsty. And I _do not _handle my drink well.

"Well, you told me that your ideal man was someone who would, wait, I think your exact words were 'nurture and cherish your ambitious career driven spirit without impeding your life goals and yet benefiting himself simultaneously from the joyous union of a stable relationship'".  
"I said that?"  
She gave a half smile. "Apparently using ridiculously long words is such a second nature that you do even when that drunk".  
"Evidently".  
I nodded my thanks to Craig as he pushed the door of the dressing room open, and started looking for the perfect dress with which to ensure that Noah Puckerman would walk into the club and experience an instant hard-on the minute his eyes fell upon me.  
And I instantly began to imagine him wearing a suit, with an expensive after shave blending in with his edible aroma...

"Mini diva!"  
"Yeah?"  
"Stop zoning out on me! I was just telling you that your perfect guy is going to be at the party tonight".  
"Really? Who?"  
"Well, you may not have heard of them, being stuck in your little Broadway bubble, but there's this boy band, called 4boyz, and the lead singer is Finn Hudson. I'm going to introduce you two".  
"What about Noah?" I found myself asking.  
"What about him?" Mercedes asked harshly, but I supposed she was right.

I found a dress which was definitely heading for the 'maybe' rail.

"You know something else about drunk Rachel Berry?" Mercedes asked suddenly, holding up a purple dress for Craig's approval.

"What's that?" I asked, half interested.

"You often speak with an _atrocious _Scottish accent".

* * *

"Did you have sex with Santana Lopez?" I asked, groaning loudly, as he slammed into me and the whole row of cubicles shook.

"What the fuck?"

"The dancer", I prompted, my fingertips digging into the hard muscle of his shoulders.

"I haven't had time to sex anyone else", he gasped, his beautiful face betraying that he was extremely close. "I've been sexing you".

"And I fucking love it", I growled, and he gave a choked moan and his body collapsed against me, and he pinched my nipples in a moment of pure genius to send me falling right after him, his name tumbling from my lips like some dirty spell.

* * *

"This is Finn Hudson", Mercedes said proudly.

I gawped up at the friendly looking giant that stood before me.

"Nice to meet you", he said politely, and stuck out a hand.

Mercedes flicked her eyes between us, bright with expectation.

"Can I buy you a drink?" He asked, looking slightly intimidated by Mercedes' posture. It was not a good sign if he was intimidated by strong, independent women. But he was strangely perfect, like he should be wearing a halo or something.

I followed him over to the bar and perched on the edge of a barstool.

He ordered an apple martini for both of us.

I sipped mine carefully. Then I saw Noah Puckerman over Finn's shoulder, there was something wild in his eyes, and he frowned at me for a second, and then he was gone.

I shrugged inwardly; I had agreed to meet him in the second floor mop closet in a couple of hours. He had actually taken great pleasure in making me say 'mop closet' in a seductive purr.

Finn was talking, so I nodded vaguely.

"So my manager thinks it will be good publicity if we date", he said bluntly, smiling his dorky but adorable smile.

I raised my eyebrows. That wasn't the best line I'd heard. But then it wasn't the worst either... Only the other day Noah had initiated some steamy shower sex with 'I don't think there's a scrubby shower thing- so I'm going to have to rub you all over my body instead'.

Then, speaking of the devil, I spotted Noah, and on his arm was Santana Lopez! My eyes widened. Noah looked around casually, and came and sat right next to us at the bar, studiously ignoring my blatant eye signals questioning his motives.

I glared at him, and he smirked back.

Ha. Well-two could play at that game.

Finn was mumbling something about his favourite football team. I flashed him a winning smile and pushed my hand across the counter top to brush against his, that were clasping his martini glass nervously.

He stumbled over his words slightly, and took a hasty sip of his drink.

I watched Noah trail his fingers up Santana's arm. I felt my own arm tingle slightly, as though it was my own arm that his fingers were treating. Santana gave a rather raucous sudden laugh, and Noah looked nonplussed for a second, before catching me watching him and resumed his feather light trail.

I huffed.

"Are you alright, Rach?"

"Yes thank you Finn", then I added, lowering my voice a few semitones, "Much better for having met you tonight".

He grinned stupidly at me.

"Thanks Rachel. You're really nice, you know."

Nice? The best he could come up with was _nice_? Even Noah calling me berrylicious was better than that. Though when Noah called me anything, he said it in such a voice that sent heat instantly pooling between my legs...

But Finn wasn't finished.

"I mean, I've heard some people say that you're a bit _crazy_, or a bit _intense_... I'm not quite sure what they mean by that but I definitely don't think you're crazy".

"Erm... Thanks?"

"You're welcome", he smiled.

Noah was flicking his eyes from down at his pint and up to Santana's eyes. He was using that same crinkly eyebrow wiggle that made me just melt...

Kurt Hummel leaned over the bar next to me, looking pointedly from me to Noah and back again, then interestedly to Finn, before taking up his own apple martini and delicately sipping it.

"Miss Berry, I'm very hurt that you aren't going to introduce me!"

I tore my gaze away from Noah's captivatingly amazing eyes. Were they hazel? Were those specks of green in there? _Nobody knew_- which was part of the beautiful mystery.

"Sorry... Finn, Kurt Hummel; Kurt, Finn Hudson."

Kurt gave a little wave with his fingers, and Finn waved back, still smiling.

When Kurt had slipped away, I returned my attention to Noah, who was at that moment actually stroking Santana's hair! I gaped at his audacity, and I didn't even care to remember that we were anything but exclusive, and that he was supposed to be there just to get this temporary obsession with sex (with him) out of my system.

I pulled my barstool closer to Finn, and slid my hand caressingly up his arm, positioning it on his shoulder so that Noah had no excuse not to notice it sitting there.

"Er... Rachel?"

"Not now Finn", I snapped, my eyes glued to Noah, daring him to make the next move.

And then Brittany joined the two, slipping her arm around Santana, and the three became involved in a very animated conversation, which, try as I might to overhear, I could not catch a word.

But Noah's warm low voice came to my ears loud and clear.

"So I'll meet you two ladies in a minute... in the _mop closet_".

That was _it_! I'd had enough. I could not take any more of this nonsense!

I stomped off, accidentally flicking my hair in Finn's face, and strode angrily across the crowded room, grabbing Mercedes by the arm and heading straight for the door, not unclenching my jaw until we were outside on the decking.

"Mercedes- you will not believe that Noah Puckerman!"

She slapped me across the face.

"You crazy bitch! What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Sorry?" I gawped at her, holding my hand to my stinging cheek.

"Okay, sorry, I didn't mean to hit you that hard, but- are you _insane_? You march straight over, grab my arm- interrupt me from my great conversation with Craig, who, by the way, was just about to kiss me, and had just finished telling me how he has always liked me, ever since I hired him as my bodyguard".

She stopped to take a breath, and I gulped.

"Crap. I'm so sorry! I'll go and talk to him! I'll..."

"You'll do nothing", she said fiercely. "And if you've just ruined my first chance at a genuine relationship then you will be _very sorry_".

She turned on her heel and left me standing there, and I looked around for any support, but the two bouncers standing by the door just shook their heads at me sadly, and my heart sank into my brand new 'cum with me' wedges.

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Please Review :)


	5. Chapter 5

Finding Talent

Disclaimer: I still do not own the characters from Glee.

AN: Last chapter! This follows straight on from the previous chapter. Thank you so much to everyone for following this story- your reviews make me a better writer- I wouldn't have even been able to extend it to be more than a one-shot if it wasn't for you guys. So thanks. And virtual hugs. Anyway, on with the Grande Finale.

Bree

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**Chapter 5**

I sat on a bench in the dark, where the outside lights didn't quite reach to illuminate, next to a water feature/statue thing that really made me want to go to the bathroom, re-evaluating my life.

How was it that I always drove people away by just being myself? I knew I was competitive, ambitious, determined... but was I really that _repellent_?

And as if I couldn't spiral any further into the depths of depression, as I watched absentmindedly at the guests milling in and out of the doors to stand on the decking for some fresh air, or to compare arm muscles with the bouncers (I'm really not sure why...), I noticed Finn Hudson step out onto the decking, holding hands with none other than _Kurt Hummel_. I watched, mesmerised, as the pair, quite obviously enamoured, stood over by a strange looking plant in a pot, talking to each other as though no one else existed.

Kurt giggled girlishly at something Finn said. But not in a drunken way, more in a _flirtatious _way. And then he reached his hand out and pushed Finn's chest playfully. Their eyes met, and before I knew what was happening, before I could think whether it was slightly weird to be spying on their quite obviously private moment, they were making out!

Great. We'd only just met and I'd made Finn Hudson_ gay_. I couldn't seem to tear my eyes away from them, and the friendly giant looked a lot less awkward somehow.

My heart leapt. I spotted Noah stepping out onto the decking, and it just wasn't right that he was so incredibly attractive! It was everything I could do not to run over to him and kiss his face off, and I tried desperately to maintain an expression of feigned disinterest.

"Way to go Hummel", he cheered, walking casually in my direction past the embraced guys. Kurt gave him the finger, and his hands clasped protectively around Finn's waist.

"Sup berrylicious?" He asked breezily, sitting down on the bench next to me. I tried desperately to ignore how warm and delicious he was, and how much I wanted to cuddle up to him and bury my head in his chest. Because he wasn't my boyfriend. So I couldn't.

"How were they?" I asked crisply, not meeting his gaze because if I did, proper words just failed to form in my head.

"What the fuck?"

"Santana Lopez and Brittany... Oh- I don't know what her surname is?"

"I didn't have sex with them".

"Huh?"

"Oh please, not the whole, I have to repeat everything I say thing again! I didn't have sex with them."

"Oh".

"You know, it would make this so much easier if you just asked me if I would just have sex with you", he said gruffly.

"Oh". I said again.

"We could double date with Mercedes and Craig", he suggested, "Cos Craig's cool, and you and Mercedes are friends or whatever, and Craig owes me one cos the other day, he like, found me and asked me for advice on how to win Mercedes. So I just told him, to tell her exactly how he felt about her, and I think that's going pretty well, and then I thought, maybe I should take my own advice, right, but I don't really know how cos I don't do all that cissy emotional shit".

I met his gaze. Damn he was fine.

"Are they alright?" I asked, my voice slightly shaky, everything not sinking in quite yet.

"Oh they're great", he smirked, "Right before I came outside, they were just making out up against that weird statue thing of the naked women writhing around on top of the giant flower".

"They're cherubs Noah", I explained, "Baby angels".

"Your mum's a baby angel", he mumbled in retort.

I sighed heavily. "I have two gay dads".

"Oh. Right. Sorry."

There was a pause and I could practically hear the cogs whirring in his brain beside me.

"Look. See. I think we should take some time to get to know each other... I mean beyond just each other's favourite erogenous zones".

_Melt_.

I smiled slowly. "What's my fourth favourite erogenous zone?"

It was a test, and he passed with flying colours, answering faster than I did in my head.

"Your wrists".

"Okay. It's a date. Let's go get us a cab..."

* * *

He slid into his seat behind me, and kissed me slowly and sweetly as I looked up from fastening my seatbelt.

"You look fucking hot tonight, by the way", he murmured, "Instant hard-on".

My hand crawled across the seat to his, and he took it quickly. We smiled at each other until I couldn't ignore my craving for his lips anymore, and pulled him closer, moaning the instant our lips touched, because it sent a warm fuzzy feeling through my whole body.

"Feelin' a bit... _frisky_?" he asked, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

I just kissed his neck wetly. "Touch me Noah".

He smirked and reached his finger out to tap my nose.

"No! _Touch _me!"

"But where?" He asked, his hot tongue teasing my earlobe.

I grabbed his hand roughly and placed on the inside of the top of my thigh. My heart beat wildly in my chest.

"_Everywhere_", I replied, and he attacked my lips with firm kisses, whilst his fingers wreaked havoc with my senses.

And he was the one who had to convince me that it wasn't such a good idea to have sex in the back of the cab, and when we reached Mercedes' house we managed to do it 3 and a half times before actually reaching the bedroom upstairs.

It was a _good _night.

* * *

I woke up, feeling perfectly contented, completely cocooned by Noah's lovely arms and the rest of his warm naked body pressed against mine.

I opened my eyes slowly, and immediately noticed the pink cardboard box tied with an enormous pink bow sitting in the open doorway. (Okay so we'd forgotten to close the door and put a scarf on the door handle, but surely if you walked past it was obvious as to what we were doing in there?)

Anyway, I carefully removed myself from Noah's embrace and went over to the box, picking up the note on the top first.

I recognised the box. It was from the best bakery in town, and they made the most amazing chocolate brioche in the entire universe, which were just to die for.

I unfolded the note. It read:

_Mini diva,_

_Please forgive me for slapping you tonight; I am very, very sorry. Craig told me it was your sex buddy?/boyfriend?/husband? (delete as appropriate), who told him to have a good heart to heart with me and tell me exactly how he felt. And plus, I am totally forgiving you for earlier because me and Craig are totally gunna have sex as soon as he comes back with your chocolate brioche from the bakery!_

_The original diva X_

Noah stirred in the bed behind me.

"Mmmm... where's my snuggle buggle gone?" he yawned sleepily, stretching out his arms.

"Good morning Noah".

"Morning sex on legs".

I smiled at him and slipped back into bed to curl up against his side.

"Ah yeah, before I forget, I think we should make this official".

"So do I", I agreed.

"Good. Cos I left a message to get a few paparazzi round here... They should be standing just outside the window actually."

"Awww. That's so sweet Noah".

He grinned, the worry on his face leaving quickly.

So we gave them something to print, wrapping the duvet around both of us and opening the window fully, a slight wave to some of the photographers before I crashed my lips against his, and he smiled briefly against my lips, before cupping my face in one warm hand and responding with a tender thoroughness that took my breath away.

* * *

The End.

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**Epilogue**

Judge and Contestant- Not Just 'Puck'ing Around

This picture shows just a snapshot of the apparently very physical relationship between Rachel Berry, newest judge on the panel for 'Looking for Talent', and Noah 'Puck' Puckerman, one of the favourites to win out of the guys' group in the same competition.

When questioned further on their affair, a source close to the couple revealed that after a questionable start to the relationship, they have decided to make it official and are very happy in such a committed relationship.

All we can say is, from the expression on the Broadway star's face, it looks like she has most definitely found some talent in the gorgeous singer's mouth!

_See page 23 for more cover stories, including the shocking news that 4boyz star Finn Hudson has revealed that he is in fact gay, and follow his heart wrenching tale of how he had to hide his true sexuality from the world in order to maintain a healthy following of teenage girls for the boy band, and see exclusive pictures of the man that has stolen his heart._

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Please Review :)


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